Epiphany 2026

When Is Epiphany in 2026?

In 2026, Epiphany falls on January 6. The observance lasts 1 day. Epiphany is observed on a fixed date each year. Western Epiphany is fixed on January 6 Gregorian. Orthodox Theophany is January 6 Julian = January 19 Gregorian (through 2099). Some countries move the public observance to the nearest Sunday. Epiphany is observed on the same date each year: January 6. Here are the dates for the next five years: Year Date 2026 January 6 2027 January 6 2028 January 6 2029 January 6 2030 January 6

What Time Does Epiphany Start in Your Time Zone?

Epiphany is fixed on January 6 in the Gregorian calendar — 12 days after Christmas. The date is the same every year. In 2026, Epiphany falls on a Tuesday. As a fixed Gregorian date, the holiday is timezone-independent: it is observed on January 6 everywhere in the world. However, many Catholic dioceses transfer the observance to the nearest Sunday (the Sunday between January 2 and January 8) for pastoral reasons, so that more worshippers can attend. Eastern Orthodox churches that follow the Julian calendar observe Epiphany on January 19 in the Gregorian calendar (13 days later). This creates a two-Epiphany pattern in countries like Russia, Serbia, and Ethiopia, where the Gregorian Epiphany on January 6 may be marked by some communities while the larger Orthodox celebration falls on January 19. The Greek Orthodox and Romanian Orthodox churches follow the Revised Julian calendar and celebrate on January 6 alongside Western Christians. The table below shows the observance date for Epiphany in major time zones around the world: Location Observance Date Time Zone New York, USA January 6 EST/EDT (UTC-5/-4) London, UK January 6 GMT/BST (UTC+0/+1) New Delhi, India January 6 IST (UTC+5:30) Sydney, Australia January 6 AEST/AEDT (UTC+10/+11) Dubai, UAE January 6 GST (UTC+4)

The Story Behind Epiphany

Epiphany, observed on January 6, is one of the oldest Christian festivals, celebrating the manifestation of God in human form through Jesus Christ. The name comes from the Greek epiphaneia, meaning "manifestation" or "appearance." The festival's theological meaning has varied across Christian traditions: in the Western church, Epiphany primarily commemorates the visit of the Magi (the wise men or three kings) to the infant Jesus, representing the manifestation of Christ to the Gentiles. In the Eastern church, Epiphany (also called Theophany) commemorates the baptism of Jesus by John the Baptist in the Jordan River, representing the manifestation of the Trinity (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit). The biblical account of the Magi is found in Matthew's Gospel: wise men from the East arrived in Jerusalem, asking, "Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him." They followed the star to Bethlehem, found the child Jesus with his mother Mary, bowed down and worshipped him, and presented gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. The Gospel does not specify the number of Magi, but tradition settled on three (based on the three gifts), and they were later named Caspar, Melchior, and Balthasar. The tradition that they were kings developed later, based on interpretations of Psalm 72 ("May the kings of Tarshish and of distant shores bring tribute"). Epiphany marks the end of the Christmas season — the famous "Twelve Days of Christmas" run from Christmas Day (December 25) to Epiphany (January 6). In some traditions, Christmas decorations are taken down on Epiphany or on the day before (Twelfth Night). The Sunday after Epiphany celebrates the baptism of Jesus in the Western church as well, while the Eastern church celebrates his baptism on January 6 itself.

How Epiphany Is Celebrated

Epiphany is celebrated with a variety of regional traditions. In Spain and many Latin American countries, the festival is called Día de los Reyes (Three Kings Day) and is the major gift-giving day of the Christmas season — children receive gifts from the Three Kings rather than from Santa Claus. On the night of January 5, children leave their shoes out (sometimes filled with hay or grass for the kings' camels), and in the morning they find gifts left by the kings. Cities across the Spanish-speaking world hold elaborate Cabalgatas de Reyes (Three Kings Parades) on January 5, with floats, candy thrown to children, and actors dressed as the kings. In France and parts of Belgium and Switzerland, the traditional Epiphany food is the galette des rois (king cake) — a flaky pastry filled with almond cream (frangipane), in which a small figurine (the fève) is hidden. The person who finds the fève in their slice is crowned king or queen for the day and chooses their consort. The tradition dates to the Roman Saturnalia, when a bean (the original fève) was hidden in a cake. The galette des rois is eaten throughout January in France, not just on Epiphany itself. In the Eastern Orthodox church, Theophany is celebrated with the Great Blessing of the Waters — a ritual in which a priest blesses a body of water (a river, lake, or sea) by immersing a cross in it. In some traditions, a young man dives into the water to retrieve the cross, believed to bring good luck for the year. The most famous of these ceremonies is in Tarpon Springs, Florida, where young Greek-American men dive for the cross in Spring Bayou. In Russia and other Orthodox countries, the blessing of the waters includes the creation of holes in frozen rivers and lakes, into which the devout plunge three times — a tradition that has gained popularity in recent years as a sign of religious devotion.

Epiphany on the Calendar

Epiphany is fixed on January 6 in the Gregorian calendar, exactly 12 days after Christmas. The date is the same every year — no calculation needed. This is part of why Epiphany, like Christmas, is one of the most universally recognized Christian holidays. The 12-day period from Christmas to Epiphany is the famous "Twelve Days of Christmas" of the carol. In the Eastern Orthodox churches that follow the Julian calendar, Epiphany falls on January 19 in the Gregorian calendar — a 13-day gap that has widened over the centuries.

Fixed on January 6 (12th day after Christmas); Orthodox Theophany follows Julian calendar (January 19 Gregorian)

Did You Know? Epiphany Facts & Trivia

Epiphany, observed on January 6, is one of the oldest Christian festivals. The name comes from the Greek epiphaneia, meaning "manifestation." In the Western church, Epiphany commemorates the visit of the Magi to the infant Jesus; in the Eastern church, it commemorates the baptism of Jesus by John the Baptist. In Spain and many Latin American countries, the festival is called Día de los Reyes (Three Kings Day) and is the major gift-giving day of the Christmas season — children receive gifts from the Three Kings rather than from Santa Claus. On the night of January 5, children leave their shoes out, and in the morning they find gifts left by the kings. In France and parts of Belgium and Switzerland, the traditional Epiphany food is the galette des rois (king cake) — a flaky pastry filled with almond cream (frangipane), in which a small figurine (the fève) is hidden. The person who finds the fève in their slice is crowned king or queen for the day. In Eastern Orthodox churches that follow the Julian calendar, Epiphany falls on January 19 in the Gregorian calendar — 13 days later. This creates a two-Epiphany pattern in countries like Russia, Serbia, and Ethiopia. The Greek Orthodox and Romanian Orthodox churches follow the Revised Julian calendar and celebrate on January 6.